GLAMOUR sprinter Apache Cat yesterday etched his name into turf
history and earned another chance at a trip to Hong Kong after
scoring back-to-back Doomben 10,000 wins.

The baldy faced chestnut, who started $3.50 favourite, equalled
the deeds of Black Onyx (1969-70), Prince Trialia (1990-91) and
Falvelon (2001-02) when he held off a late burst from Black Piranha
($11) to score by a head in the Doomben slush. All Silent ($15)
finished third, a further 1¼ lengths away.

Apache Cat's win was his 18th in a 38-start career and sent his
prizemoney soaring to $4.4 million.

Trainer Greg Eurell, who has now won eight group 1s, declared
the victory the equal of the six-year-old's win last year in the
1350-metre feature.

"Winning a group 1 is never easy but this win was just as good
as last year," Eurell said. "Everyone seems to think because he'd
won five group 1s he can keep doing it.

"But I thought the competition this year was stronger than last
year so it was a super win."

Eurell said Apache Cat would now be spelled and would miss next
month's Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm.

"He's got 60 kilos in the Stradbroke and there's a lot of
younger horses well weighted against him, which would make him a
sitting duck," Eurell said.

"He'll spell now and I'll get him ready for a mile (1600-metre)
race in the spring back home in Victoria and possibly look at going
back to Hong Kong for the Hong Kong Mile."

Apache Cat challenged for the lead at the top of the straight
and jockey Damien Oliver elected to dash several lengths clear. The
tactic paid off and gave Oliver his fifth group 1 this season.

Apache Cat looked set for a big win before Black Piranha wore
down the champion with every stride only to fail when the favourite
kicked in the last bound.

"I thought we were going to get the winner but we didn't quite
get there," jockey Tye Angland said.

"It's the third time I've been beaten in a group 1 and it's
getting frustrating.

"It was a great run though and it was a great trial for the
Stradbroke where he drops four kilos."

Trainer Grahame Begg was stunned by the performance of All
Silent who looked to be in a hopeless position on the home turn
before storming down the outside rail.

"I couldn't see him in the television picture and I thought he
must have broken down," Begg said. "What a run  it was
unbelievable."

All Silent's rider Craig Williams said the five-year-old "was a
bit unsure with the outside rail on his lefthand side and he jumped
something about the 200 metres. But once he got out he went whoosh.
If he had gone straight he wins for sure".
AAP